Authorities from the United States and France have arrested John “Lick” Daghita on the island of Saint Martin, accusing him of stealing tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from wallets linked to U.S. government–seized assets. The arrest was carried out as part of a joint operation between the FBI and the French Gendarmerie following a months-long investigation.
According to the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, the suspect was taken into custody on Wednesday. In a post on social media, Patel stated that the operation reflects ongoing efforts by U.S. authorities to pursue financial crimes involving digital assets worldwide. The post included images of Daghita in handcuffs as well as a metal suitcase containing stacks of $100 bills, USB drives, and what appeared to be hardware crypto wallets.
The investigation was led by the United States Marshals Service, which spent months examining allegations that Daghita diverted more than $46 million in digital assets from wallets used to hold cryptocurrencies seized during criminal investigations.
The suspect is the son of Dean Daghita, president of CMDSS, a Virginia-based government contractor that provides information technology and operational support services to federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense.
The case gained momentum after blockchain investigator ZachXBT publicly alleged that Daghita controlled a wallet containing approximately 12,540 ETH, valued at more than $36 million at the time. The investigator stated that he alerted authorities after tracing funds connected to addresses associated with government seizure wallets.
Daghita had previously drawn attention in online communities after appearing in a recorded dispute within a Telegram group involving a so-called “band for band” exchange, a scenario in which participants attempt to prove control over large crypto holdings to establish credibility among other actors in the ecosystem.
Source: Reports on the joint operation conducted by the FBI and French authorities
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice or an investment recommendation. Digital assets are highly volatile and involve significant risk.
